Seasonal· Conception Island· Bahamas — Eleuthera, Andros & the Out Islands

Winter cold fronts at Conception

23° 51.1′ N · 75° 7.2′ W · approximate

Conception's anchorages face west and north, so each winter cold front that clocks the wind through south, west and north makes them untenable - the rhythm of every visit is set by the next front.

Eleuthera

Practical

Noonsite: leave before anything in the western semicircle blows; 'get out of here before you get trapped'. Southern Boating: any forecast west wind means it is time to leave. Blue Water Sailing (2016) describes West Bay turning to steep standing waves ahead of a front by sunrise and the windward side staying rough after the wind shifts. The usual bolt-holes are Long Island (Calabash Bay, Thompson Bay) or George Town. Hurricane season (June 1-November 30, peak around September 10 per NOAA) adds tropical risk.

Best for

Timing a Conception visit between fronts

Season

Fronts Nov-Apr; hurricanes Jun-Nov

Nearby